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Small stiff-tailed diving duck with a relatively slender dished bill.
VIC: Vulnerable; WA: Rare; NT: Vulnerable
Endemic to Australia
Indigenous: Boodoo, Stiff-Tailed Duck, Spiny-Tailed Duck, Diving Duck, Spinetail, Blue-Bill, Little Musk Duck
At a glance
FamilyDucks, Geese, and Waterfowl
SizeMedium
RarityCommon
HabitatWetlands, floodplains, lakes, estuaries, and slow-moving waterways.
Best timeMost reliable in Victoria from October to February.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Ramit Singal
Range map
Range map
1416visible hotspots
61471visible records
6states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Male has intense chestnut and black plumage, bright blue bill. Female is dark grayish. Much longer and less chunky bill than Musk Duck.
Behavior
Floats very low in the water, and unlikely to be seen on land. Usually observed on the water on deep wetlands.
Gallery